Aeternum Vale
by Black-Inque2002
Summary: It's not dead! It's really, really NOT dead! cries hysterical tears
1. Chapter 1

Meridiana's streets seemed much darker than they'd ever been. And that was quite an accomplishment for a city that had already earned the nickname "City of the Damned" from the rest of the country; a place where everything went to die, lose their minds, their religion, or whatever sense of morality they possessed. Honesty, kindness and all other virtues had no place in this sprawling, decaying mass of corruption, crime, and debauchery infecting nearly all of its four million souls. It was diseased. It was despairing. It was the perfect breeding ground for any and all perversions.

So why was it different today? Or rather, in recent memory? Why did its grime, its smog, its choked avenues seem even more lifeless, more hopeless? People walked about with their shoulders bent, their faces wan and blank, as if they were all carrying a crippling burden. Even the air was oppressive and hard to breathe.

At least, that's what Lori Anderson thought as she watched the world go by. Maybe it wasn't really anything at all. Maybe it was just the times, or the buzz her cigarette was giving her. But as a resident for most of her life, and far too intimate with crime and abuse, was used to Meridiana's pulse. And that pulse seemed to have weakened.

She was now nineteen, out of high school with no further academic persuits, which was all right with her. She didn't feel as if she'd learned anything truly important inside of a classroom anyhow. Her three ever loyal lackeys were still with her, as always. She imagined that they'd follow her until the day she died. Migel, Nacho, and Carlito. It paid to have three guys to do your dirty work for you and have your back in a place like this.

Lori took another drag on her cigarette, glancing out of the corner of her eye to spy a conspicuously absent spot between her and Carlito. There was one person missing from her (un)happy band of delinquents. The only girl who had ever really dared to hang out with her.

Jacinta Velasquez.

Lori hadn't heard from her in three years, had never known what happened to her friend the day she disappeared. Jacinta had been a senior back then, Lori a sophomore, and even though she'd been older, Jacinta had no problem taking a backseat to the younger girl's more dominant personality. She'd never really participated in any of Lori's illegal activities anyhow. The wildest thing she'd ever done was maybe smoke a few times. She had been more of a big sister figure, an emotional support for when things really got nasty at home. She was also an outcast because of her strange looks–those _eyes_ in particular. The way they seemed to pierce through you sometimes...But Lori could always tell that Jacinta would go much further than she would. Jacinta had actually paid attention in class and did her assignments. She would have landed somewhere good. Call it intuition, or a hunch, or whatever, but somehow, a girl like that wouldn't stay in the slums of San Telmo forever.

_If only I knew where she was_, Lori thought, moving her gaze up to the hazy sky. _It'd be nice to see her again. I bet she just decided to leave for somewhere better. Can't blame her. This city is a shit hole. The only reason I ever stayed was for...Adrian, but...well, "he" wasn't exactly who I thought he was. _

How embarrassing that revelation had been! To find out that the man she'd been so head over heels in love with was actually a _woman!_ It had taken Lori so long to finally come to terms with that. For months afterward, she had been depressed, crushed, and more than a little frightened that her obsession meant that there had been other aspects of her sexuality that she had never been aware of. In the end, though, she realized that her schoolgirl fancies were just that. Okay, so the whole slipping Adrian provocative notes and stalking him had been over the top. She could admit that now. But other than that, it had been a perfectly normal thing...

Lori rolled her eyes at that.

_Sure, normal. That's me. Jacinta, you're lucky you got out when you did. I know your mom took it hard, but trust me, you did the right thing. I just wished you would have told me before you left. I'm still pissed at that. Hell, you should have taken me with you! At least you get to have a future!_

She pushed herself away from the crumbling, graffiti stained brick against which she had been leaning and tossed her cigarette aside.

"Come on, boys,"she said, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her denim jacket. "Let's get outta here."

"Where you wanna go?"asked Migel as the rest of them fell into step behind her.

"I dunno," Lori sighed. "Anywhere but here."

The television glowed with images of beautiful people in some hum drum sitcom cracking jokes so contrived it was a wonder it stayed on the air, advertisements for cars, rental property, credit cards, and basically every single useless product ever invented, yet somehow people simply couldn't live without.

Magdalena saw none of it. Her mind was buried deep within the self-imposed prison she'd been living in for the past few years since her daughter had turned her back on her. Ever since that night she'd stormed back into her home after having been gone for months, she'd been like somebody else. Not Jacinta. A stranger. _Her_ Jacinta, her daughter, was a kind, serious, and sensitive girl who always put her own interests aside for the good of her home and her mother. Magdalena had seen it even then; an undefinable change in her eyes. Something cold and dark had lurked behind their familiar sweetness. Already, Jacinta's heart had been turned without her even knowing it. That single epiphany had chilled her far more than any horrors she'd ever witnessed in Von Reichter's labs. The knowledge that her own flesh and blood, the only person in the world whom she had allowed herself to love, the reason she got up in the morning, was slipping away from her brought back all the old fears and insecurities she'd fought with all of her life. What had she done to make Jacinta do what she was doing? What she really such a bad mother, a bad person? Where had she gone wrong with her upbringing? She'd always thought of herself like any other parent, as only wanting the best for her child.

Still, there were doubts.

_I suppose there was more I could have done_, she thought, feeling the emptiness of the apartment close in on her. _I should have been home more. I should have stayed up more nights with her on her homework. But then that would have meant giving up one of my jobs, and I couldn't afford to do that. I didn't mean for her to think I was neglecting her. Doesn't she understand what I had to do to protect her? _

No, of course not. Jacinta would never understand such feelings until she became a parent herself.

An involuntary shudder rolled down Magdalena's spine as the thought entered her head. To have her daughter bear a child to...It was almost too sickening to comprehend! She hoped with all of her soul that such a time would never come.

_Why did things have to turn out this way? I should have been more honest with her about myself. But how on earth do you tell a child that their mother isn't a human? How do you tell them that you were born from a tank, that you never had a family, and had to drink green acid just to live? It would have terrified her! There was only so much I dared to say. _

And look where it had gotten them. It had earned her resentment and estrangement and now she had to sit back and watch as her only child lost herself to her most hated enemy and ruined her life. To think she even believed herself in _love_ with such a creature! What did such a girl her age even know about it?

Magdalena winced as she bit down too hard on her nail. She blinked and glanced down at her hand. Had she been biting her nails all this time?

The hand flopped back down onto the chair's armrest, making the worn fabric scratch with the movement.

_Worn down like me. Worn down from age, worry, and carrying too many burdens. God above, what a life mine has been! _

Her eyes, once as vivid and golden as her daughter's, now faded to a pale brown, traveled to the phone resting on the end table next to her.

Six. Six would know what to do. She always did. She had been a much better survivor than Magdalena could ever hope to be. She was stronger, more capable, more intelligent. Six had gone out to meet Jose and Von Reichter's army of unholy genetic mutants while she had cowered within the safety of her apartment, only daring to venture out when she needed to sate her eternal thirst for Sustenance.

Reaching out with a trembling left hand, Magdalena picked up the receiver from the cradle and dialed.

Cybersix sat back on her worn couch and flipped through the sadly limited channels on her TV. She settled then on a soccer game, even though she didn't really know much about sports. But hey, it was better than watching infomercials and it would be intriguing to find out why Lucas was so obsessed with this game.

She smiled, feeling truly relaxed for the first time in the three years since Von Richter had met his bloody end. Ever since she'd shut down emotionally, moving through life but not really letting herself become apart of it, still too numb to accept the fact that her chains had been loosed and she no longer had to hide or hunt at night, as her Sustenance now came to her at regular monthly intervals. Her costume, which she had used to blend in with the darkness, hadn't seen service in that time, and was currently hanging up in her closet amidst the slowly growing wardrobe of women's clothing. Even Adrian's outfit had been packed away, now that there was no need for it and especially since wearing it at all would be extremely awkward now that Lori knew the truth of her teacher's identity. It was definitely time to move on to something else, but not just yet.

Cybersix had allowed herself time to process that terrifying experience, to grieve, and work on putting it behind her, but it was Lucas who had really been there for her, sitting up at night over the phone while she cried, or bringing her small gifts to cheer her up. Never once did he forget to visit or see how she was doing, all the while strengthening their bond and slowly trying to reintroduce her to the world. She was safe now. She could have an open relationship with the man she loved. She could actually sleep at night! What was stopping her from being happy? Was it guilt for letting Data 7 kill Von Richter and let his son live? Was it because now she had a truce with Jose?

Cybersix rubbed her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut. What did it matter? It hadn't been her fault, not really. Data 7 had moved too fast before she'd even realized what was happening and then it was over. It had to be done, she kept telling herself. It had to, or I would have died sooner or later. I was the last obstacle between Von Richter and world domination. And yet...

And yet, would Jose try to do the same thing? And if he did, would that mean having to break the already shaky agreement and fight him too?

"Don't think,"she whispered, flopping back into the cushions. "Just don't think. Relax. Relax and think about your date with Lucas tomorrow night."

Just as her nerves were beginning to settle, the telephone rang, its high pitched jangling cutting through her ears and making her jump.

"Ugh. Damn phone,"she muttered, reaching over to the side table to pick up the receiver.

"Hello?"she said wearily, hoping that it wasn't another wrong number or solicitor.

"Six?" a worried voice came from the other line. "Are you all right?"

"Magda?"Cybersix said, her eyes opening a bit wider. "Is that you?"

"Yes."

"I'm fine, Magda,"the cyber answered. "Just a little tired. But you sound upset. What's going on?"

"I–I don't know, Six,"the woman stammered anxiously. "I just don't know anymore."

"About what?"

"Jacinta,"came the pained reply. "I'm worried about my daughter, Six. I'm worried about what she's turning into."

Oh-no, Cybersix thought, remembering Magda's daughter whom she'd met three years earlier and whom her mother continued to fret over. It was understandable, certainly. Jacinta now lived with Jose, and from what Cybersix had seen during their last encounter, had a relationship with him. That was cause enough to worry. Magdalena, as part of the old order of things, did not entirely trust that Jose would keep up his end of the bargain not to harm Cybersix or herself. Not that Six could blame her. That sneaky little sprog was capable of anything, and double dealing wouldn't phase him in the least. Plus he now had Jacinta, who he could use as a pawn if he so desired, which didn't seem to be his intent, but with Jose, you never knew. Hence that was part of the reason of Cybersix's residual guilt; that she had let him talk her into helping him destroy his father in exchange for her freedom. A high price, indeed.

"What happened?"Cybersix asked, sitting up straight in a more attentive position. Over those years Magda had grown close to her, confiding in her the deepest fears that only creations like themselves could understand and Cybersix herself was more than thrilled to have a new best friend and sister.

"It's...just..."Magdalena struggled to find the right words. "She's changed so much. I know that shouldn't surprise me after all she's been through, but...she seems to have swung completely the other way. It's like she's forgotten everything I've ever taught her. She's too wrapped up with..."Here she cut off her train of thought, and Cybersix could hear her grimacing on the other end.

"I know, Magda,"she said soothingly. "I don't like it either, but you can't force her to stop loving him. She's made her choice and it's too late to do anything about it."

"Choice?"the other woman spat. "I can't believe that Jacinta would chose that monster! He _must_ have done something to her, Six! He must have! He can't love her! He doesn't even know what that is! Do you know what that bastard used to _do_ to women? Do you? Because _I _do and _don't_ want him touching my daughter!"

Cybersix hung her head in exasperation and sighed heavily. Magdalena hadn't been there in the aftermath when she'd seen Jose holding Jacinta while the poor, frightened girl had sobbed uncontrollably after seeing Von Richter's corpse. He had been patient with her and did his best to calm her down. That wasn't normal Jose behavior at all and Cybersix was well aware of his unsavory reputation with women. But with Jacinta it was different. He no longer prowled about the streets at night, seemingly content to give all of his affections to her alone. It made Cybersix wonder if Jacinta was the one who'd truly changed at all. Still, Magda wouldn't be panicking for nothing.

The cyber woman sighed in heavy resignation, knowing all too well where this conversation was going, and decided to get right to the point about it.

"Do you want me to go see her?" she asked wearily, sinking back into the cushions with pained expression on her face. She'd never had any intentions to return to Jose's mansion after Von Richter's death or to establish a real relationship with Jacinta, but it seemed this time, she wouldn't be able to get away. The girl's mother was her friend, and as a friend, Cybersix had to help put her fears, however justified, to rest.

"Would you?"Magdalena replied, her voice brightening considerably. "It would mean so much. Thank you!"

Cybersix smiled in spite of herself. It was so rare to hear Magda sounding happy.

"No problem,"she replied. "When do you want me to go?"

"As soon as you can. Talk to her, Six. She may not listen to me, but she might listen to you. You don't know how much this means. You really don't. Thank you."

_Anything for you, sister,_ Cybersix thought as she said goodbye and hung up the phone.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Maria Schweizter belongs to Genesis Seidleman; aka shrimpbucket

The cavernous room was engulfed in darkness, the only source of illumination came from the tiny, insignificant flickering of a computer monitor. It's cold, fluorescent light washed over Jose's face as he stared back at the screen with dull, tired eyes, not really seeing the data that stretched on forever. It was the volumes of information that he had spent the past three years gathering from his father's labs, including his infuriatingly detailed notes on Sustenance production and necessary genetic modifications relating to his creations. Even an ancient family Bible, kept not for any religious use, but for keeping records of Von Reichter's lineage had been consulted. While it had little to do with his current problem, it had made for an interesting glimpse into the past–into the bloodlines that he had never known of. Jose had been able to trace the family tree as far back as the late 17th century. The most recent entry had been his father's, his name neatly inked in on one of the lower blank spaces, yet what had truly been shocking was the second name next to it, for on the moldy pages there had been a woman–a Maria von Reichter nee Schweitzer. His father had been _married!_ In 1939, so it had said. Right before the second World War had broken out. This lead to a whole host of questions and speculations about what kind of woman would have taken any interest in his father, and why the old man had never uttered a single word about her existence. Why, a woman like that must have been out of her mind! Who could have loved such a cold, demanding, neglectful person?

And yet Jose had found himself wondering about Maria. What did she look like? What did she sound like? What kind of personality did she have? Where in Germany had she been from?

A further study had revealed her death date–in April of 1945. She had died so young. Only about twenty-five or so. What could have killed her in the prime of her life? Jose could only have put it down to the war itself. She could have been shot, or died in an air raid. What little his father had actually said about his life during the war, Jose gathered that it had been one of the worst in history. Yet he had given it little thought until now. He would have to return to this new puzzle after he had finished hunting down for his own records.

But more important things were pressing at the moment. While he'd had his whole life to study how Von Richter worked and had his pattern down in a few months flat after his father died, the problem was finding out about _himself_, his own history and what had gone into his making. Or more specifically, how to _undo_ what had gone into his making. Jose had always known that he was a clone of the current body his father had used, created with Von Reichter's somatic nuclear cells fused with an empty ovum and placed inside one of the hundreds of Sustenance tanks that served as false wombs. He'd never been truly born, only produced, and not subject to the anomalies or the spontaneous mutations that genetics often dealt in nature. No. Von Richter had been careful in making absolutely certain that Jose would be nothing less than the perfect son he had desired. Too careful, and too good at covering his tracks. Jose had yet to find anything remotely concrete regarding his own DNA and how his father had managed to virtually stop the hands of time, keeping Jose trapped in a child's body for thirty three agonizing years. And that's when the resentment had started.

The boy grinned despite his weariness, indulging in a bit of satisfaction at how far he'd come. He was in power now, controlling the city of Meridiana though underworld dealings and hidden agents, all the while making it look to the average citizen that there was nothing amiss, that their mayor was in fact, not human, but a Techno planted by Jose in all efforts to maintain a facade of normalcy. And there was no one to stop him from doing what he liked, because he'd gotten his only opponent cornered into a bargain. Yes, indeed, not even Cybersix stood in his way now. What genius idea it had been to coax her into siding with him to get rid of Von Richter.

And not only that, but he'd found a way to at least begin to reverse the effects of his prison-body through repeated injections of Human Growth Hormone. Even then, it did little to change him. He was only a few inches taller, and his face had thinned out a bit but the outcome was nowhere near where he wanted to be. Instead of looking ten, he looked thirteen, which was a decided improvement, but a horrible disappointment all the same. At this rate, he'd be a full adult in only...fifty or so years...hell, maybe he'd reach puberty in the next twenty. Damn Von Richter! What the hell had he done to him?

Sighing, Jose decided to call it quits for the time being and face his frustrations later. He closed the program and turned off his monitor, leaving him in complete blackness, but he didn't need a light to see his way out of his own office. Besides, it was getting late, and he wanted to spend time with Jacinta.

The thought of her sent the tension fading from him as he climbed the long stairway up to his bedroom. Without sparing a glance at the two gargantuan Fixed Ideas standing at attention on either side of the double doors, he opened them to find her seated at a desk, head bowed over a textbook in study. She'd decided to continue her education two years ago, not because she really wanted a career, but just to have a degree of some sort that she could use in case she ever needed it, which wouldn't be very likely. A career was absolutely out of the question as it was too dangerous considering her current position. Sure there were other Technos out in the city posing from everything to the mayor down to a simple clerk, but Jose didn't want his human subjects to become suspicious, or risk losing Jacinta to some sort of petty conspiracy. Sure, maybe he was being paranoid, but her safety had become a top priority. She _was_ his, after all. Or would be soon enough.

Jose leaned against the doorframe for a moment to watch her. She didn't appear to notice him, muttering to herself something along the lines of "damn Algebra. Useless..." and baring her teeth at her papers in a grimace. Finally fed up, she slammed the book cover closed and shoved it roughly aside.

Jose smirked, closing the door behind him and sauntered up to Jacinta, who was currently rubbing at her temples and slouched over in defeat from the evil numbers and formulas. Math was not her strong suit, and being in a higher course was taxing her nerves as well as her patience. Oddly enough, though, she excelled in everything else.

"Does it not like you, precious?"he asked in a teasing voice, making her jump. She whisked her head around to stare at him in mild annoyance.

"Yeah, well, you _could_ help me,"she returned with a vociferous sigh. "This should be nothing to you." She glared at her textbook in undisguised hatred, swearing that she could almost hear it laughing at her.

Jose grabbed the book and flipped through it, recognizing everything his eyes took in and hardly believing that this was considered "high-level math." The problems to him were ridiculously easy, stuff which he'd used since...well, as long as he could remember.

"Hmmm,"he said, tossing it aside somewhat disdainfully. "Maybe I will, just for the hell of it. Hardly challenging though."

Jacinta gave him the evil eye, crossing her arms about her and frowned at his arrogance, which only earned her a gloating smile. Once he'd learned about this weakness, he never missed an opportunity to rub it in. She, however, didn't let that stop her from dishing it back out to him by correcting his spelling and lecturing him on the importance of proper grammar.

"I hate you,"she mumbled. She leaned back in her chair and stretched, beginning to feel the late hours catching up to her.

"No, you don't."

"Of course I don't."

"Then why even say it?"

"Because I was _joking_,"Jacinta explained wearily, pushing herself up from her seat to regard him with exasperation. "Geez. Lighten up a bit. I'm going to bed."

Jose's expression instantly morphed from peevish to one of piqued interest at the mention of the word "bed." Jacinta rolled her eyes, not needing to think twice about what was on his mind.

"Not tonight,"she groaned pleadingly. "I'm too tired."

The pout returned.

"Not even just a little bit?"

"No,"she said, walking towards their closet to fish around for some pajamas. Jose trailed after her, still determined to have his way. The cute, boyish angle often worked, even though he hated resorting to it, but luck didn't seem to be on his side tonight.

"Please?"

"No. Stop whining and let me get changed."

Once in her pajamas, Jacinta paused to give the sulking boy a resigned smile and a peck on the forehead.

"Sorry I snapped at you like that. Once I get this test over, we'll have more time. I promise."

"You know, you don't _have_ to go to college," Jose said petulantly, making a decidedly disagreeable face. Jacinta mimicked his pouting and gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze before ambling over to the bed.

"So?"She pulled back the covers and flopped gratefully onto the mattress, letting him change as well and slide in next to her. "Why _not_ do it?" She shrugged. "I like the challenge, as you so eloquently stated. And..."her face grew serious and thoughtful. "I know it would make my mother proud."

Jose cringed inwardly at the mention of Jacinta's mother. Magdalena was so repressively overprotective of her daughter that it creeped him out. And for some reason she just couldn't get over the fact that Jacinta had chosen him over her. At least that's what Jacinta had told him after many hours spent over the phone arguing and attempting to justify her decision, which all fell to deaf ears. The woman was borderline obsessive; passionately believing that he was going to corrupt her only child and insisted that Jacinta return home where she belonged. The past few years had been nothing short of an ugly affair. In the meantime, Magdalena appeared to have cooled off. Her phone calls were less frequent and less absurd. Maybe she was finally understanding that Jacinta wasn't coming back and that she had a new home now with him. Jose now could only wonder what was going to happen if Jacinta's mother ever found out about...

"Does she still hate me?"Jose asked with barely disguised sourness. Jacinta raised her eyebrows at him; a clear indication that he should skirt that subject.

"Don't look at me like that,"he retorted. "I know she does. I don't want her to find out about our engagement. She'd probably show up to kill me herself."

"And that's why she won't find out,"Jacinta reassured him. "And I don't think she'd try to kill you. She'd just lose it and I don't want to put her through that. She's tried too hard to raise me like a normal person. The whole situation just..."she shook her head and threw up her hands. "I don't know."

"She needs to cut the umbilical cord already,"Jose said snidely.

"I agree with you, but you're forgetting that she still sees you as a threat. She can't put Von Richter behind her. I don't think any of us have. It's still too recent. I mean, I _still_ have nightmares about that night." She shivered and hugged her arms about herself. "You've changed her entire world and now she doesn't know what to do. Neither does Cybersix. They don't know how to handle just living like regular people and not have to worry that someone is going to come after them. Or where to get their Sustenance."

"Hmmph,"Jose sighed at her infuriating display of logic. What was wrong with them? Why couldn't they just accept that they were free to do what they wanted, especially after three damn years? What was so hard about that? And why couldn't Magdalena stop hassling him and Jacinta and leave them be?

So many questions he wanted to ask. But not tonight. He could already feel his eyelids drooping despite the frenzy of emotions churning inside of him.

"So are you saying that it's too soon and you don't want to marry me?"Jose challenged.

"That's not what I meant!"Jacinta gasped, apoplectic and a bit hurt that he would even consider such a thing. "If that were true I wouldn't have said yes, now would I?"

"Well, I can't wait any longer,"Jose said, grabbing onto her hands and grazing his thumb over the silver ring on her left hand with obvious meaning. "Three years is damn long enough. I want you as my wife. _Now._"

"Then let's do it as soon as possible," Jacinta agreed in a firm, almost desperate tone. "I can't wait anymore either. We can do it secretly in a Church and..."

"_Church?_"Jose interrupted, making a face as he tried to get his tongue to shape out that alien word. "But nobody goes to church anymore. I was thinking we could just do it here and... "

He trailed off when she flashed him a brief, distasteful glare at that remark, as she, in fact, _did_ attend Church while her fiancé remained a militant atheist. It was a something not usually spoken about, and if ever brought up, Jacinta usually won out.

"Exactly,"she pointed out when Jose was put back in his place. "Which means less chance of anyone seeing us. You can set up Fixed Idea guards to make sure nobody will be stupid enough to interfere. And besides, I've always wanted to get married in a church. It's more romantic that way."

"You're not going to do the whole dress and flowers thing are you?"Jose asked tentatively. "I hate flowers."

Jacinta gave him a playful pout, mimicking his earlier behavior.

"You hate everything. You're no fun,"she chided, her voice almost nailing his high-pitched whine.

"Not you. And I don't sound like that."

"Well, then at least let me do the dress. It won't be anything white or poofy, I promise." She widened her gold eyes beseechingly at him, exaggerating her pout a little more and wrapping her right arm over his.

"Please?"she crooned, snuggling up to him, making him flush.

"Gah,"he growled, trying to regain his composure and rolling his eyes."All right."

She gave a satisfied chuckle and pecked him on the cheek.

"Thank you, love,"she said sweetly, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I also want a son from you,"he said, leaning his own head on top of hers.

"Jose, that's not possible. You know I can't have children. I'm not sure I even _want_ any."

"Well, _I _do,"he said peevishly. "And I'll find a way for us to have one. In fact, I could probably even do it now with in-vitro if I wanted, but I won't since you're so adamantly opposed to the idea."

"I never said I was opposed,"Jacinta replied tartly. "I just don't want any children _right_ _now_ when I'm in school. And I don't want a baby taking away my time with you."

"Oh, now you're being selfish, eh?"Jose smirked.

"Yes,"Jacinta said matter-of-factly, tightening her hold on him. "I'm being very selfish. I want to enjoy being your wife first before I become a mother,"she shot him a venomous glance, "_if_ I wanted to be one. I don't know. I don't think I'd be a very good one. I'd probably screw the kid up."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Jose,"Jacinta sighed wearily, "I don't want to debate this any more. It's late. I'm tired. Let's get some sleep. We can talk more about it later."

Jose frowned and reached over to turn the lamp on the night-stand off, instantly cocooning them in soothing darkness. He felt Jacinta settle in next to him, pressing herself against him in sudden urgency.

"What's wrong?"he whispered.

"Everything's wrong,"Jacinta whispered back. "It's so hard...being with you and trying to still love my mother."

Jose felt his frown deepen.

"It was your choice. I didn't force you to leave her."

"I know," she said softly, burying her face against his shoulder. "But it's the most difficult choice I've ever had to make. I'm scared that she won't love me anymore."

_If she didn't love you, she wouldn't have kept bothering us all those months_, Jose thought sourly, but wisely decided to keep his mouth shut. After all, he knew what it was like to fear the rejection of a parent. He knew better than anyone. He'd never really had his father's love, never had the type of relationship with him that Jacinta and her mother had shared. In that respect, he secretly envied her. Jacinta had never had to prove herself over and over again to her mother only to be punished. Jose was never fond of Magdalena, but he grudgingly had to admit that she was a good mother, if a bit possessive. But on the other hand, it was time for Magdalena to let her daughter go. Jacinta was twenty-two, for God's sake! She didn't need to be coddled and protected anymore. It was _his_ job now to protect and love her.

"She does,"Jose replied, not sounding at all convincing.

"But what if she disowns me after we're married? She'll find out about it one way or another even if we kept it a secret."

_That's her problem_, the boy thought snidely.

"She's going to have to accept it sometime,"Jose reasoned with an air of nonchalance. "And even if she disowns you, which I doubt, you've still got me."

Jacinta smiled faintly, feeling at least some small bit of comfort working its way past the fear in her heart.

"Thanks."


	3. Chapter 3

Adrian "Cybersix" Seidelman glance nervously about him as the rush of college students flooded by to get to their classes. It had been so long since Cybersix had worn this outfit that it almost felt alien to her. She just hoped that no one would notice how uncomfortable she looked. But considering how hurried everyone was, that wasn't going to be the issue. She was going to have to play "Good Guy" again and try to heal whatever wound had been opened between Magdalena and her daughter. It felt good to be helping someone again, but the fact that Jose was involved tended to put a rather sour edge on the whole thing.

Adrian sighed and scanned the many faces passing him, searching out for that distinctive flash of gold. Jacinta wouldn't be too terribly hard to spot among all the mostly paler students.

_Why am I doing this?_ Adrian wondered, attempting to look casual as he settled back against the brick wall near the quad. _I'm not even sure I can really make much of a difference, but I promised Magda I'd try. Hmmm...maybe the best thing to do would be to get those two together somehow and let them work it out. _

Fixed Ideas and rogue monstrous creations she could handle. But a sordid family squabble? No...make that an ongoing family war of willpower. Not much experience in that department, as "family" fights in her case usually ended up with a high casualty factor.

Nevertheless, Adrian kept his vigilance until he finally spied a dark, raven haired young woman advancing in his direction. She didn't seem to have noticed him just yet, which wouldn't give her much of a chance to avoid a confrontation. In fact, her face appeared deeply tense.

_Here goes nothing. Literally._

As soon as the girl came within reach, Adrian casually snaked out his right hand to grab her by the arm and pull her aside. Jacinta looked up at him, eyes wide first in anger, then in shock as Adrian's face registered in her memory. She'd never found out that her Literature teacher had been the very same person who she'd been sent to destroy three years prior, and so seeing him so suddenly and unexpectedly was nothing short of bewildering.

"Mr...Siedelman?"Jacinta squeaked, eyeing him up and down just to make sure he was real. "Wha–what are you doing here?"

Adrian nodded, his expression stern.

"Hello, Jacinta,"he said, not bothering to deepen his voice.

"Oh my God..."she whispered as a fresh wash of cold fear jolt her nerves and deaden her legs. Adrian had spoken not with the stiff formality she had remembered, but with a lyrical, feminine one which was oddly familiar. It hit her then, creeping in slowly from the edges of her memory and then slamming into her with force of a speeding car.

"Cyber–?"

"Shhh!" Cybersix shushed, raising a finger to her lips. "Call me Adrian for now, all right?"

Jacinta shook her head.

"I don't understand,"she said. "Why are you here?"

"Adrian" reached up to take off his glasses, his face softening into the beautiful, pensive face of the woman who she was supposed to call "enemy."

"I'm going to be straight,"she sighed, tucking the glasses into her shirt pocket and combing her bangs back over her face. "I came looking for you. Your mother wanted me to talk to you."

Jacinta's face fell, looking as though she had just been betrayed, and she let out a sigh of her own, her eyes flickering away.

"Not you too,"she said despairingly. "Not you. What is this, a crusade?"

"No,"Cybersix said. "You mother called me a few nights ago. She was worried sick about you so I wanted to try and help her."

Jacinta, realizing that Cybersix was still holding onto her arm, quickly jerked it away.

"She's being ridiculous,"the girl replied with a glare.

"Is she? I mean, can you really blame her?"

Jacinta rolled her eyes briefly at the very question Magdalena had thrown at her over and over again. It sounded so much like a broken record, it made her sick. Now her mother was sending out envoys to aid her cause? When was it going to stop?

"I know she hates my decision, but I don't think she realizes that it was _my_ _decision_,"Jacinta retorted, placing a hand on her chest to underscore her point. "I wasn't kid-napped. I wasn't forced to live with Jose. I _chose_ to. I've only tried to explain that to her a million times!"

"She's afraid for you, Jacinta,"Cybersix said solemnly, more than a little fearful for the girl herself. "She's afraid you'll turn on her."

This only made her more apoplectic. "_What?_ I'd _never _do that! She's still my mother, for God's sake! I told you, she's being ridiculous!"

Cybersix nodded, taking in the enraged girl's words and weighing them carefully before she spoke again. She wouldn't try to force Jacinta to do anything, only make her stop and think.

"Well, have you ever tried looking at it from her point of view?"she suggested gently.

Jacinta's cheeks flushed with emotion and her jaw tightened and the cyber knew she'd hit a nerve.

"Not really,"Jacinta replied stiffly. "But it's not like I didn't try to. Look, if it keeps up like this, I–" she gestured futilely as she failed to find the right words. "–I don't know. I just wish you'd all get off my back."

"Fair enough,"Cybersix returned evenly. "I'm not going to attempt to force you to change your mind. You're right. It _is_ your decision, and I agree with that. It may be unwise. It may not. However, I do think that the two of you are going to have to sit down and talk about this. You're both so determined to prove the other wrong that I think it's getting in the way of what really matters."

Jacinta bore this all silently, watching Cybersix's face through slightly narrowed eyes. She leaned against the building and crossed her arms defensively over her chest in that classic, "so what?" pose all rebellious youngsters adopt at one point in their lives. And not looking one bit convinced on top of that. When she didn't respond, Cybersix continued:

"You're going to lose each other if you don't try to make peace. If anything, that's what I would love to see. Three years is a long time to spend fighting. One of you is going to have to make the first move. I can't help you in this. I can only advise you from the side...if you want my advice, that is. Honestly, I'm still afraid that Jose is going to break his word."

"He won't,"Jacinta said curtly with a glare. "He hasn't so far."

"_So far,_" Cybersix pointed out. "But he might one day."

"So you're saying I shouldn't trust him?"

"What I mean is, you can't always be sure of what he'll do next. I speak from a lifetime of experience. As far as creations go, you're lucky. At least you _had_ a mother to raise you and you never had to see the horrors of the lab up close." She raised her hand to stop an oncoming protest. "Yes, you've _been_ there. You've had a terrible thing done to you but you've never had to see your entire family die right in front of you. You can _never_ get over something like that."

"But Jose didn't _do_ that,"Jacinta insisted. "Von Richter did. Yes, he was a bastard and I'm glad he's dead. Yes he was evil. But not everything he made was. Look at you and Data 7. Look at my mom. We're a part of what he's done, but we are _not _evil."

Cybersix stared back at her, letting the words sink in, and hearing the hidden meaning behind them. There was truth in there, but...

"Are you trying to tell me that Jose _isn't_ evil?" she asked incredulously.

"He isn't,"the girl replied firmly, looking the cyber dead in the eyes. "Despite what you and my mom think, he _does _have feelings. And he's been nothing but good to me. I know it's hard for you to believe, all things considered, but you have to try and see it from _his_ point of view."

_Ouch!_ Cybersix thought as her own advice was slung back at her with an extra sting. _I should have seen that coming. _  
"Think about it. Was there anything he really had against you?"Jacinta demanded.

" Everything he's ever done to you was mostly influenced by his father. He may be his clone, but they're not the same person. Sure, he's unstable. I can see that. Who wouldn't be if Von Richter was your father? But he's _not_ evil. He told you that himself, remember?"

_But can I believe it?_ Cybersix thought. Jacinta seemed thoroughly convinced of her beliefs, however naively assumed they might sound. Jose couldn't–_wouldn't_ have changed so radically in the mere span of a few years. The kid's history was as sordid and black as that of his father's. What was that old saying? The apple never falls far from the tree? She couldn't truly expect to believe that he had simply cast aside twenty years of debauchery and violence merely for _one _girl? Monogamy and Jose went together about as well as sunlight and vampires.

Still...she had to admit to herself that Jacinta didn't seem in any way unhappy with him, and she didn't see many Fixed Ideas around anymore...

_Maybe it would be a good idea for me to keep a closer eye on this after all_, Cybersix decided. Jacinta's influence on Jose more or less directly determined her survival, and the survival of the city's residents as well. Her instincts told her that something significant was about happen and she'd better be there when it did. She felt her resolve to come out of "retirement" grow even stronger with each passing second.

_Tonight I'm going back on patrol._ _I'd better find Data 7 and tell him what I'm planning to do. In the meantime...I'm going to somehow have to get Jacinta and Magda together. _

Cybersix felt the wheels in her head turn even as she stood there under the girl's hard stare.

"All right,"she said with a nod. "I've heard your side now. But you think about what I said, okay? This isn't just going to go away on its own, you know? You're new to this arena yet, but if you want my help, I'll be here."

A flash of puzzlement crossed Jacinta's face.

"Why would you want to help me? I'm with the enemy, remember?"

Cybersix shook her head tersely.

"I've never thought of you as an enemy,"she responded softly. "Hopefully you don't think of _me_ that way. But we're both trying to reach the same ends: peace, in one form or another,"she nodded towards the parking lot, "I'll let you go now. I'm sure you have quite a bit to do."

Without a glance back, Cybersix quickly slipped the glasses back on her face and, making sure that no one was close by, disappeared around the corner of the building, leaving Jacinta to contemplate the meaning of her words.

The girl wrapped her arms about herself, suddenly feeling very alone and vulnerable. Cybersix coming back into the picture certainly didn't bode well with her and she felt that it would make things far more complicated than they already were, or needed to be. But she couldn't help but admit to herself that Cybersix's offer of a shoulder to lean on had been an unexpected as well as a truly welcome bit of kindness.

_She's helped me so much_, Jacinta realized with a pang of guilt. _And she's never judged me. Maybe...maybe I should return the favor. _


	4. Chapter 4

Cybersix's words continued to haunt Jacinta during the ride home, stubbornly refusing to leave her until she allowed herself to sort through the truth, let alone accept it. She hadn't really appreciated yet another long, preachy lecture about how her judgement was clouded beyond reason, that Jose wouldn't change for her, that he wasn't capable of anything save hate. Any other woman might have taken it as a sign and run the other way, called it all off, but Jacinta refused to bend.

_Just because they can't handle it, doesn't mean that I should just leave him_, she thought obstinately. _I'm in love. I'm marrying him. He's marrying me. End of story._

But Cybersix's stern mein didn't leave her mind's eye. There had been judgement there in the other woman's eyes, even a tinge of disgust, but beneath that there had also been compassion and empathy.

_Huh. Like she would understand..._

She shook her head.

_Stop being childish_, Jacinta rebuked herself. _She did go out of her way to see me. She really wants me to sort this out with my mother. She's right about that at least. We've both put our pride before everything else. And it hasn't done anything except cause us pain. But, if I went to see her, tried to talk to her...and even _then _Mama refuses to accept my decision, there's always the fact that I _tried

Sighing deeply, she slid out of the Audi, her body unconsciously responding to the routine even as her mind was unaware of it, entrenched in it's pensive musings though it was. She pulled open the front door, not even seeing the two Fixed Ideas standing at attention and nodding perfunctorily as she passed through it. Up the stairs she went, turning left down the hallway ending in the double oak doors.

Jose was leaning over a map of Meridiana, Helmut and his Type and Fixed Idea lackeys at the ready, pointing to different colors of pins that dotted the city's sectors. They were so engrossed in their study that none of them had noticed Jacinta shambling towards them, bag dragging behind her, until she was about halfway across the room. Jose's head snapped up then and, taking in the sight of her despondent face and slouched shoulders, promptly glared at his servants and pointed at the door.

"Out."

The Type looked ready to protest, but smartly thought the better of it, rolling up the map and motioning for the others to follow him. Helmut paused once, to give Jacinta an odd little look, and then closed the door behind him. Once they were gone, the boy's expression softened somewhat, and he settled himself back in his chair.

"Come here."

Jacinta rushed towards him, flinging her bag aside and collapsing in his arms.

"What's wrong?"Jose asked with an edge to his voice as if to say, "Or should I ask, what's wrong _this_ time?"

Her head still buried in his shirt, Jacinta mumbled, "Cybersix."

Jose felt his teeth grind in irritation, his face resuming its scowl as he felt the all too familiar tendrils of anger coiling about, the sensation akin to having a wedge of steel stuck in between his ribs.

"What?"he demanded, his voice tightly controlled.

Jacinta lifted her head.

"She found me at school,"she said softly, knowing that a measured tone kept his temper from reaching the boiling point. "She...well, she wants me to try and make peace with my mother. She's scared."

Jose's eyes grew distant as he focused them on something across the room, but she could see the hatred flickering just behind them. His fingers tightened on the arms of his chair, gripping the leather so ferociously that the bones jumped out underneath his skin.

"Of what? I thought we had this problem taken care of,"he hissed. "She has no business prying where she doesn't belong. Maybe I should go have a little talk with _her._"

Jacinta glanced briefly away, not liking the threat, her brow knitting in a moment of exasperation, but she didn't feel like bringing up old arguments again. Looking back at Jose, she raised her hand to stroke the side of his face.

"Why don't I just go?"she soothed. "Hm? What harm could it do? Let me just talk to my mother for the last time and if she still doesn't approve, then that's it."

"I'm going with you when you do,"Jose said in a tone that brooked no contradiction.

"Are you sure? That might just make things more..."

"No,"he interrupted firmly. "I'm not going to sit back and let her insult me anymore."

Jacinta nodded carefully, not wishing to push his temper any further.

"All right,"she said finally after a long moment of silence. "We'll both go."

"Tomorrow."

Her chest tightened in an instant of anxiety. Tomorrow? That sounded entirely too soon for her liking, or comfort, but she supposed then that it would be better if they confronted Magdalena now rather than later. She took a deep breath, held it to calm her nerves, let it out again.

_It has to be done. This is the only way we can go on with our lives. _

Jose waited her out, letting Jacinta process her emotions before she made up her mind the way she usually did, even though the need for caution had long since passed them by.

"Okay,"she sighed, fingers twisting themselves nervously in the fabric of his shorts. "Tomorrow. This ends tomorrow."

That brought his attention snapping back to her, his eyes widening a bit in surprise at the finality in her voice before narrowing to regard her with an edge of incredulity.

"'That's it'?'"he mused, allowing a smirk to tug at the corner of his mouth. "You suddenly sound eager to break the ties."

Jacinta rolled her eyes and groaned.

"I'm tired of being tugged back and forth like this,"she answered wearily, laying her head in his lap. "I've had enough. You've had enough. I don't want to feel guilty for the rest of my life."

Jose _hmmed_ thoughtfully at her words, noting the pleasant way the anger now drained out of his body to let pride take its place. A satisfied smile now spread across his face. He combed his fingers through her hair, a slow, rhythmic movement that lulled Jacinta's mind into a languorous haze. In that brief moment, he saw his surroundings in a new light, noting now how he could see her hand in almost everything, all apart of the new order in which his world was finding itself. No more mounted animal heads on the wall behind him, no more rug sporting the black eagle which had symbolized Von Richter's reign. Resting on the fireplace mantle was a miniature portrait of Jacinta.

"I like the way you think,"he said finally, returning his attention to her, feeling her smile against his leg.

"Yeah,"she agreed. "Well, anyway, how goes your..."she searched for the right term, "search, I guess you'd call it? Did you find anything?"

"No,"Jose said, his grin instantly evaporating at the mention of his little "research" project into his father's database. "I didn't find one damn thing last night. Father was too good at hiding any information concerning me." He drummed the fingers of his right hand. "I'll find them eventually. In the meantime, I've got other things to see to. Our wedding, namely." With his other hand, he coiled a strand of Jacinta's black hair around one finger, admiring the way the light made a purply sheen in it. Damn it all, the things she made him feel!

"When's the soonest we can do it?"she asked.

"Whenever you wish, my darling."

Jacinta sat up and turned around to face him, gold eyes flashing excitedly, a smile of pure, wicked delight illuminating her features.

"This weekend?"

"Perfect."

Moonbeams streamed into the small, dark apartment room as a figure, shoulders stooped wearily, came shambling through the door, not bothering to turn any lights on. A pair of glasses clattered across the top of a scarred wooden desk near the room's only window, half-burying themselves under a stack of ungraded essays.

Cybersix frowned as she loosened the tie about her throat and tossed it aside with equal carelessness and set to work unbuttoning the front of her shirt. The essays had to wait for now. She had a much more important engagement tonight.

The shirt came off in a billow of white to fall forgotten to the floor, exposing a sportsbra that kept her rather ample bosom hidden when she was disguised as "Adrian."

Data 7 was supposed to meet her here shortly. She'd gone by one of his many dens he'd set up throughout the city and begged him to come as soon as he could. Her brother had licked her cheek in understanding, his way of telling her that he wouldn't waste any time. He hadn't needed words to see how upset Cybersix was.

_Good old Data_, she thought, a small smile flickering over her pale face. _He's never let me down yet. _

Cybersix lifted her head to gaze at her closet, resolutely setting her jaw and strode over to it. Closet really failed to describe what it was, since it wasn't capable of holding more than a few sets of clothes. Cupboard was more precise.

Flinging open the door, she paused for a moment to stare at the outfit she hadn't worn in three years. It hung there, limp like a black shroud, waiting for her to pull it out and give it new life again. It was the symbol of everything she was; everything she'd come to be: hunter, vampire, woman of the night. A savior to some and a killer to others. A renegade.

_And a renegade I shall always be. _

Cybersix reached in to grab her bodysuit, her slim fingers caressing the leather as they would an old lover's face. It felt good to touch it again. It felt _right._ How could she have neglected her duty this long?

In a single flick of the wrist, she whipped the suit out and draped it over the back of her desk chair, hastily removing her baggy pants and kicking them aside. Sighing, she gazed at the outfit with a mixture of longing and sadness reflected in the depths of her black eyes.

"So this is what it comes to,"she whispered, slowly unzipping the front of her costume and slipping into it, almost reveling in the sensation of the leather clinging and caressing her like a second skin. She felt renewed, energized, as if a piece of her soul had suddenly been put back into place.

The gloves came next, then the cape, billowing out behind her like a raven's wing as she adjusted it into place, indulging in a bit of fun by spinning in a spontaneous little circle. She'd always loved the sound it made with the wind whipping through it. Last, but certainly not least, came her fedora. Cybersix put it on, running her thumb and forefinger over the edge of the wide brim in a smart, straight line. She was complete at last.

Turning around, she faced the mirror, jumping slightly in shock as the image she faced was one she knew, but at the same time barely recognized. She'd become so used to seeing herself in jeans and skirts that the svelte, leather clad figure staring back at her sent a chill up her spine.

_Is that really me?_ She wondered, raising a hand to touch her cheek. _Have I always looked like this? _

A rattling at the window interrupted her soul searching, and Cybersix whirled about to see a black hulk of panther pawing in earnest at the glass. Smiling, she unlatched the window and Data 7 leapt inside, cocking his head up at her as if to say "What's up?"

Closing the window, Cybersix knelt down to give the cat an affectionate rub behind the ears.

"Glad you made it,"she said. "We have a lot to do."

Data 7 growled in agreement, bobbing his head up and down to indicate that she elaborate on her thoughts.

"Well, I told you I went to see Jacinta, didn't I?"

This time the panther groaned, his mouth turning down at the corners in a humorous caricature of a human expression.

"I know, but don't hold too much against her,"she said, rising to her feet and starting to pace the length of her apartment, which was definitely _not_ pace-worthy. "It wasn't a total disaster. But I think you and I would be better off going back to the old routine. It's probably best that we know what Jose's doing. Just in case, you know?"

The cat bared his teeth at the mention of the little bastard clone, but then bobbed his head in understanding. He was practically salivating to get back in the fray again. He hated being lazy. It would do him good to kill a Fixed Idea again. Ahh, he could almost _taste_ the Sustenance dripping down his jaws...

She smirked as his thoughts betrayed themselves to her.

"We've really let ourselves go, haven't we?"

Data 7 merely snorted, his way of saying "Duh."

Cybersix stopped, taking on a thoughtful pose, one hand cupped about her chin as she nodded to herself.

"That's it, then. No more of this pretending."

The window panes flew open, slamming against the wall, adding to its already chipped paint. Stilettos clicked on the wooden sills as she stepped out onto the stone ledge, her vision taking on a new sharpness as she surveyed the rambling buildings before her. Meridiana was rightfully hers, and hers alone and tonight it would be so again. She'd never felt more free than she did now, the sound of the traffic on the main boulevards a soft roar in her ears, the cool breeze whispering through her hair. She closed her eyes to savor the sensation of being alive, of living outside society in a world that was all her own. How she'd missed it!

"Let's go, Data 7."

Muscles coiling with an electric intensity, Cybersix vaulted into the night sky, Data 7 at her side, and plunging back into the destiny they knew they had to embrace.


	5. Chapter 5

The bag of groceries landed on the counter top with a solid _thump_. Magdalena sighed gustily, pushing away a stray strand of hair that had escaped her braid. The motion made her left earring tinkle softly.

Paying the bag no more attention, Magdalena strode into the kitchen, her steps quick and agitated, and yanked open the refrigerator door. She pulled out a bottle of orange juice and pored herself a glass, not sure why she even bothered. She wasn't the least bit thirsty, but the action kept her hands busy.

Dark brows knitted in intense thought, she whisked into the small living room and sat down in her favorite chair, her white skirt flaring out in front of her like a flower petal. She nervously chewed on her nail, a habit that she could never seem to break.

_Why hasn't she called me? _She wondered, the fingers on her right hand tapping out a rhythm against the ceramic mug. _She would have by now_..._I need to know what happened with Jacinta. _

She also wondered then why she kept doing this night after night, worrying herself sick

about something she knew she couldn't control. She hardly slept these days and worked too hard. Even her manager had told her to slow it down, but she couldn't. The work helped relax her mind, make her think about other things than her daughter and that monster she was living with. And sleeping with. Just the thought of Jose even _touching_ her daughter, let alone anything more was enough to send her into a rage.

_Why does she stay?_ That was always the question. Ever night she asked herself that, alone in her living room with the lights turned off.

_Why does she stay? I thought I taught her better than that. He's no good for her. _

_Is this really what you want to do the rest of your life, _the more sensible part of her conscience asked her. _Sit here alone and obsess about it? Is that what your world is made of? _

_But it's too late for me,_ the other side argued. _She had all the opportunities I didn't. I wanted her to make something of herself. Instead, what has she become? A devil's whore!_

_You've done what you can. She can make her own decisions. Let her go. _

_But I can't! The pain it would cause!_

_You're in pain already. Why are you making it worse?_

_Because...I still want her to be six again. I want to go back and find out what I did, what I said, to make her the way she is! Where was it that I went wrong? Was it because you never had a father to protect you? Was it because you saw how unhappy I was, and tried everything not to be like me?_

Unable to withstand the internal beating she kept lashing out against her already bruised spirit, Magdalena jumped to her feet, filled with a sudden desire to do something. To really _do_ something! To take a stand. To stop sitting here, wallowing in her own self-pity. Had she become this truly pathetic? Where was that woman she knew that had taken a stand before, some twenty five years prior, and fled to this very city to seek a better life? She had to still be there somewhere, buried underneath all of the misery.

_I can't take this anymore. I'm not a damn wounded dog! I stood up to Von Richter himself! I took my life into my own hands. I can do the same with his son...and even my own daughter, if it means keeping my sanity_.

Her mind set, Magdalena turned to the hallway and minced into her room. Flinging open her tiny closet door, she searched for something that would give her more movement than her skirt. She decided on a comfortably old pair of jeans and quickly yanked them out. She hastily flung the skirt off and pulled on the jeans, pausing only to look at herself in the mirror, a bit surprised that they still fit.

_That's better_, she thought. _It'll be easier to run in these. How long has it been since I've jumped the rooftops? And what will Cybersix say? _

A wry smile, laced with bitterness flitted over her lips before she left her bedroom. She stopped again, her gaze catching on the door just across from her that led to her daughter's old room. Magdalena opened the door and walked in, a terrible tightness gripping her chest as she saw Jacinta's things as she'd left them two years before, when she had come over to take what she wanted to move into Jose's mansion. As a result, the room was mostly bare. Just the bed and the small desk filled with old things that Jacinta hadn't wanted anymore. Even so, it still held her presence.

Magdalena lowered herself onto the bed, fighting back a fresh round of tears. Her hand gently smoothed over the bedclothes that she still washed and made ready for a little girl who would never be coming back.

"Jacinta..."she whispered. "My baby...I'm so sorry it has to be this way. But if this is what it is, then this is what it is. I'll never stop loving you, even if we have to fight each other for the rest of our lives."

She rose and crossed to the narrow window, undid the latch. A cool night breeze blew in, brushing past her wet cheeks. Closing her eyes, she gripped the frame and hoisted herself out onto the ledge.

_Forgive me, Jacinta. But I can't keep myself locked in here. I'm going to fight against Jose, whether you want it or not, just like you're going to marry him whether I want it or not._

Her eyes opened, focusing on the street four stories below. It was almost black, barely illuminated by street lights on either end. It was completely devoid of people, as anyone who lived in this part of the city knew better than to be caught in the open after nightfall.

Drawing in a deep breath, Magdalena braced herself for the first jump, her stomach flipping end over end. It had, indeed, been so long, that she feared that she hadn't the agility to cross the huge gap between her apartment building and the next.

_Only one way to find out_, she mused, stilling her nerves and thrusting off of the ledge like an Olympic diver, sailing through the empty air, braid fluttering out behind her. Magdalena's breath caught in her throat and for the briefest second, she thought she had misjudged the distance and her momentum. She brought her legs out in front of her as the aged and pitted concrete loomed closer, the landing rough and clumsy, jarring her ankles. She stumbled for a few feet before regaining her balance and righting herself.

_That's what you get for not using your muscles for almost nineteen years,_ she berated herself with a pained wince. Luckily, nothing was twisted or broken despite her rusty skills. Any regular human would have died in such an attempt.

Magdalena sighed, pulling herself together before heading off again, her body beginning to recall her early years of obstacle course training. Soon she was having no problems leaping from building to building, hoping before long she would find Cybersix.

_I am the escaped one,_

_After I was born,_

_They locked me up inside me._

_But I left._

_My soul seeks me, _

_Through hills and valley, _

_I hope my soul _

_Never finds me. _

The Pessoa poem seemed grimly appropriate for tonight, Cybersix thought as the verses ran through her head as quickly as the buildings flashed by in streaked blurs. They hurtled past them, intent on only one thing: locating any Sustenance-based creations and tracking them to see if they were up to anything suspicious, which her deepest instincts told her that was the case. It had to be. How else could Jose have taken over a metropolis of about four million people in so short a time? By playing it straight?

Hardly. By bribing, subterfuge, and occasionally knocking off someone who knew too much or had outlived his usefulness.

_I can't believe I just sat back and did nothing!_ Cybersix berated herself, feeling a frown of disgust crease her mouth. _I got complacent. I can't do that again, even if it might cost my relationship with Lucas. I've got to do my job. I'm the only one who _can.

Data'7s mind was moving along similar thoughts, but focusing more on the moment of attack and the feeling of his fangs puncturing the jugular of a Fixed Idea, or Techno, if he was lucky. His ultimate goal, though, was to do the same to Jose that he had done to Von Richter, only Jose, he was sure, would be even easier to kill if he could get close enough. He had to give the brat credit for realizing his physical shortcomings by surrounding himself with guards and that wench of his. It was in all likelihood that he would have to get through her before he could ever hope to get at the boy.

Data permitted himself a snarl at the thought of the girl, Jacinta. While he bore her no personal malice, she was definitely not on his list of favorite people. Sure, she really hadn't done anything to him, per say, but she was in league with the enemy, and that immediately discounted her.

His musings were interrupted as a familiar metallic, nerve-jangling smell hit his nostrils, sending him instantly skidding to a halt, claws raking out a long trail over the concrete rooftop. The black fur on his neck stood on end as a low growl issued from his throat. His head lowered, lips pulling back to expose a row of bone white fangs.

Cybersix slid to a stop beside him and glanced down at her brother.

"What is it?"she asked. "Do you smell something?"

The panther growled louder and violently shook his head in disgust. Arching his back, Data 7 fell into a defensive stance and concentrated on the direction the scent was coming from. Cybersix's eyebrows knitted in concern as she watched him, occasionally turning away to look for any sign of an ambush while she waited for him. Finally, with a snarl, the cat lunged off to the east, muscles pumping as furiously as a steam engine, so fast that Cybersix was left behind blinking in confusion before she bounded off after him.

Almost a quarter mile later, the pair stopped again, Data 7 crouched over the cornice of what Cybersix guessed was an upscale hotel, as rigid as a hound gone to point.

"What's down there?"she asked softly, edging towards the overhang to peer cautiously down.

She couldn't see anything at first, but once her eyes adjusted to the near darkness, she could spy a least four figures standing at the entrance ten stories below her. Two of them were larger men, dressed in darkly colored suits and suspiciously wearing sunglasses as if they didn't want to be recognized, though Cybersix could instantly tell they were Types due to their sallow skin. Data 7's nose never failed at picking up even the slightest hint of Sustenance, and these two were saturated in it.

Her jaw ached and she felt the familiar pangs of hunger at the knowledge that a premium kill lay barely out of reach, but held herself back. Now wasn't the time to indulge in her lust for their blood, and especially not the time to be reckless. She needed to lay low and observe.

The other two figures she had no problem identifying. One was child-sized. A boy. Jose, without a doubt. The other was a head and a half taller, with long hair and tawny skin that reflected a golden tint from the dim light spilling outside the doors.

_Jacinta? Why did he bring her along?_ Cybersix wondered in surprise. _I never got the impression that she knew much about his "business", but then again, I could be wrong. If she's actually participating...It would kill Magda if she ever knew. _

At that moment, the sound of a pair of feet landing heavily on the concrete behind her made Cybersix jump and whirl around to face whoever it was, her nerves shot with an electrical pulse of adrenaline, which only leveled off slightly when she recognized the face of the woman before her.

"Magda?"Cybersix whispered incredulously, her black eyes wide with shock. "What on Earth are you doing out here? And how did you find me?"

The small woman offered her a crooked smile and a shrug.

"I needed to get away from sitting at home alone,"she replied somewhat bitterly. "I've come to a decision."

"What's that?" Cybersix asked skeptically. Data 7 turned to scrutinize the woman, then, apparently uninterested, went back to observing the scene below.

"I've decide that...that I'm not going to just stand aside,"Magdalena sighed. "I want to help you fight him."

"_Fight_ Jose?" The exclamation came out too loud and too strained and Cybersix, fearing that the quartet under her might have heard, lowered her voice to a whisper. "You know that means going against your daughter, don't you? I thought you wanted to avoid any conflict."

"I thought I did too,"said Magdalena. "But I realized then that conflict is unavoidable. I had to make peace with that before I could find it in me to let go. It seems to be a family tradition with us, doesn't it?" Realizing that any attempt at humor at this point was futile as well as pointless, Magda shook her head and wiped at a few stray tears that started to spring up in the corners of her eyes. "But that doesn't mean it makes things any easier."

Cybersix watched her with empathy reflecting in her large black eyes, wishing she could run over to hug her, but was too afraid that any sudden movements might attract the wrong attention.

"Of course it's not,"she said gently. "It's never going to be easy. I sincerely wished that things could have turned out differently for you."

Magdalena nodded absently, brows wrinkling, misery writing a long novel on par with _Les Miserables_ or possibly even _Othello_, onto her face.

"I know,"she whispered. "But it's better then letting myself play the victim." She gazed back at the younger woman with open affection. "It's good to see you back to your old self."

Cybersix allowed herself a small smile.

"It's good to be back,"she agreed.

She craned her neck to look back down at the street. Sure enough, the Types were still there and appearing to be in a heated conversation with Jose, heads bowed, standing close. Jacinta, on the other hand, stood slightly to the side, her posture clearly indicating her boredom.

"What's going on?"Magdalena asked, slipping over to the edge of the building to join Cybersix, who flinched painfully when she heard the horrified gasp of recognition.

"Is...is that...?"

"Yes,"Cybersix sighed, her spirits sinking to a previously unimaginable low. She immediately regretted not urging her friend to simply go back home where it was safe, no matter how miserable it might be for her. She didn't feel like taking on any more risks. "It is. I'm sorry."

"What is she doing?" Magdalena demanded, maternal insanity creeping into her voice upon seeing her daughter once more. "Why is she down there with those thugs?"

Cybersix could only offer a despondent shake of her head as a rather pathetic answer.

"I don't know. I warned you about this, Magda. If you're going to fight, you're going to have to put aside any personal feelings, cold as that might sound. Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to, if it's too much."

The other woman pressed a hand to her mouth and emphatically shook her head.

"No,"she said, voice slightly tight from the raw emotion constricting her throat. "I want to. Seeing that bastard makes me even more determined to kill him."

"If you kill him,"Cybersix warned after a long pause, her eyes focused on the pair below, "You'll risk Jacinta hating you for it. At least now she's somewhat willing to negotiate after I spoke to her."

"It has to be done," Magdalena replied heatedly. "I want her away from him. She'd hate me, but in time, she'd see it was the right thing to do. He's gotten away with his crimes long enough."

Cybersix nodded, the conviction in the other woman's voice, bordering on suicidally eager, telling her that there was no possible way of refusing. She sighed inwardly, knowing that she was going to have a hell of a time keeping Magda's instincts in check. But, at least, she now had an extra pair of eyes to help her, and that took some of the edge off of her anxiety.

"I wonder what they're talking about?"

Cybersix blinked, turning her head to face Magdalena as her mind was catapulted back into her current situation.

"Maybe it has something to do with the hotel,"she suggested, watching as a handful of most likely counterfeit bills exchange hands. "Or something less tasteful."

She saw the Types nod and walk away. Jose slipped an arm around Jacinta's waist as they headed off in the opposite direction, making Magdalena growl unintelligibly under her breath.

Cyebrsix nodded to herself and looked at her friend, a smile working its way over her face.

"So, you ready to go?"

Magda glanced back, her eyebrows wrinkling in confusion.

"What?"

The cyber jerked her head at the Types, who were quickly disappearing down the street.

"I think it's time for an interrogation, don't you?"she asked a bit mischievously.

Catching onto her meaning, the first true smile Cybersix had seen in a long time spread across Magdaelna's mouth. Her golden eyes glinted and she suddenly looked like an impish schoolgirl breaking her curfew.

"Yes. I think so too."


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't believe it took that long to pay off those guys,"Jacinta said as she watched the two men retreat into the darkness. "I mean, it was just a _hotel room_, for God's sake! And they were your men too."

"Yeah, well, I'd say they walked away with a nice little reward,"Jose replied smugly, almost lazily, sliding an arm around her waist as they made their way to the corner where the limo they had arrived in was parked. "They shouldn't be much of a problem now."

Jacinta smirked, turning her attention back to him. She was feeling happier than she'd felt in the last few months with the dead weight of schoolwork combined with the omnipresent threat of her mother making her irritable and sullen. Now, with her wedding a mere two days away and the rest of her life ahead of her, she could finally let her worries go.

_Soon I'll be free,_ she thought. _Free to do anything I want with no one standing on my neck. What a relief that'll be. _

Jose opened the door and they climbed in, taking the seats furthest from the front of the car where the driver would be most likely to hear them. Not that it mattered much, as he was a simple Techno servant, but like any couple, they valued their privacy.

Jacinta sighed contentedly as she sat down, folding her arms behind her head and allowing a smile to grace her lips. Jose, though, promptly dashed her good mood with record speed as he settled in next to her, not bothering to buckle himself in. There were still a few things on his mind that he had to let out before attending to...well, more personal needs...

"What are we going to do about Cybersix?"

Jacinta's smile vanished, glancing sidelong at him with a curious "Hmm?"

"Cybersix,"the boy replied, practically spitting out the name like a poisoned piece of fruit, crossing his arms and scowling at the floor. "I don't want her running around sticking her nose into my–our, business."

Jacinta sighed and rearranged herself into a more serious position, straightening out the non-existent wrinkles in her skirt.

"Can't we just let it go for tonight?"she asked, staring at him imploringly, and, for an instant, he was tempted to give in to her.

"No,"he said, though his voice wasn't quite as harsh now. "I need to do something about her soon." He shook his head and gave a disgusted growl. "I knew I should have killed her when I had the chance! But, no, I had to be _nice._ I don't want her screwing me over again like she used to. I have to show her that _I'm_ the boss in this city!"

Despite the pained expression on her face, Jacinta had the odd feeling thatunderneath his bravado and tough words, Jose was trying to tell her in his own way of his need to protect her. Endearing though it was, she really didn't wish for Cybersix to get into any trouble because of her.

_Cybersix, if you're smart like I know you are, you'll stay away from me. And my mom_._ Don't try to be the hero this time._

"Your mother is another thorn in my side,"Jose continued as the car began to move. "But, you're right. That's tomorrow. I can let her go for now."

Jacinta nodded silently, grateful that he decided to drop the subject. The last thing she needed was a spoiled mood and unnecessary stress where stress was already plentiful. One night of peace. Was that too much to ask?

Jose, noting her lack of a response, took that opportunity to let his eyes wander greedily over her, his desire to possess her igniting to the point of nearly driving him mad. They hadn't done anything in the past week thanks to the trouble caused by a certain woman whose name needed no mentioning, and Jacinta's upcoming examinations. His body's urges were screaming at him to fix that problem. Truly, it had taken every ounce of self control on the way here to keep himself from simply throwing her on the floor of the car and having his way with her right then and there.

Suffice to say, he was very, _very_ uncomfortable. And very, _very_ needy. Now that his business was done for the night, he could concentrate on satisfying those needs, self-control be damned. And, oh, what fun he'd have doing it!

He didn't waste any time, sliding up close beside her, impish grin on his face.

"Jacinta,"he singsonged, delicately tracing sinuous designs on her arm, making her gasp in surprise. Her head whisked around to look at him with that wide, golden-hued gaze. Grinning even wider, Jose saw with pleasure the goosebumps prickling across her skin. It never ceased to amuse him seeing the intensity of the effect he had over her, not to mention the hold she had over him. Jacinta was the type of woman who was completely unaware of her potent sexuality, a refreshing naivete that enticed him in the same way that his he enticed her with his experience.

"Jose?"she asked, giving him a half-smile of playful scepticism even though it didn't take a genius to figure out what it was that he wanted. "What are you doing?"

"I need you,"he replied, still in the same singsong voice. His hands were traveling in bolder directions now, anxiously fiddling with the buttons of her shirt. "We're a bit overdue, don't you think?"

"Now? Here?" she gasped.

"Now,"he said, pouncing on her and pressing her into the seat. He moved his mouth along her warm throat, making her shiver.

She gave a dark little chuckle, wrapping her arms about him.

"Well, this is new. Ought to be interesting."

The first Type fell dead at Magdalena's feet, bright green Sustenance oozing out of twin puncture holes in his neck. An expression of shock was frozen in a rictus on his face. He, as well as his comrade, had been completely caught off guard by their ambush from above. Cybersix had the other Type in an iron grip pinned to a nearby brick wall, Data 7 at her side to make sure that he didn't try to do anything stupid. The Type, to his credit, remained immobile.

Magdalena licked the Sustenance off of her lips, the burning acid dripping pleasantly down her throat, feeling its warmth suffuse her body as it always did when she fed, renewing her strength and vitality. It had been three years since she had tasted fresh Sustenance and she had almost forgotten how euphoric the experience could be. The Sustenance that Jose had secretly supplied her with the past few years had lacked potency, tasting old after having been put away in a vial. Part of her still recoiled at the barbaric nature of having to kill another living being to survive, but it could not be helped. She, like all other creations, had been designed to run on Sustenance the way a car ran on petrol, or the way a heroin addict always needed a recharge. She would never be rid of her dependency; although, she could not deny a secret, malicious pleasure at having indulged on the life fluids of one of Jose's underlings. It was, in its own way, a sign of her rebellion. Even the sorrowful tug against her heart that this action was a rebellion against her child as well could not overcome the satisfaction.

Her jaw ached from having to stretch it and she massaged it before she turned round to assist Cybersix in extracting any useful information. Considering that the Type appeared to deal with Jose directly, he would be exceptionally valuable.

"C-Cybersix?"the Type exclaimed in horror and disbelief. "We thought you were taken care of!"

Cybersix scowled, mentally cursing herself and Jose. So this was what she had let herself become; a pawn so easily pacified? Why had she allowed herself to side with that little brat? Had she really been so shortsighted? Her grip tightened on the Type's collar. Upon seeing that he'd struck a nerve, the Type's mood changed into one of gloating. His pale lips curled into a mocking smile in spite of his rather delicate situation.

"Hmph. What's the matter? Not liking our bargain anymore? What should I tell Jose?"

_Damn it to hell!_ she snarled at herself. _I knew this would happen! I knew nothing would change! I stepped aside and let him take what he wanted! I _let_ him! Just to save myself! How selfish was that?I didn't listen to my own instincts because they were telling me what I didn't want to hear back then._

Ignoring the taunt, she spat, "How much of the city does he control now?"

The Type's smile only grew wider at her deliberate sidestepping.

"Do you really not know? Everything in it is his now. Not one corner left untouched. I suppose I should be thanking you, really. You've let us flourish while you were happy playing house."

Magdalena appeared by Cybersix's side, clearly spoiling for another fight. Data 7 too, seemed barely able to hold himself together against the tide of insults. He too, was furious at himself for allowing his enemy to gain the upper hand while he had done nothing to prevent it. His fangs flashed as he gnashed them at the Type, who barely spared him a glance.

"You know," he continued glibly, as if this were a perfectly regular conversation. "I don't see what the fuss is about. I thought we had a pretty nice deal here, didn't you?"

"Not anymore,"Cybersix growled. Her black eyes reflected deep hatred as she stared him down. "I thought that by letting Jose kill his father, I'd be free. And for a while, I was, but the cost is just too much. I can't allow you to keep corrupting and endangering this city because I know where it's going. Soon Meridiana won't be enough for him, and it will be the same thing all over again. I won't let him become another von Richter!"

"You already have,"said the Type with a dark chuckle. "Simply by staying silent for three years, you've indirectly helped my master. There are more Technos and Types in Meridiana than you realize, and you're right, it won't stop here. Jose has already set his sights beyond even this country."

He paused, smile disappearing along with his previously snide mood as his gaze fell on Magdalena, her features registering immediate recognition.

"Ahhh...what have we here? You're the renegade Techno 1521 aren't you? Mistress Jacinta's mother, right? I see you're not happy with your daughter's newly elevated status. Tell me something. How does it feel knowing that your child has become the whore of your greatest enemy?"

That was going too far. A wild, possessed gleam glowed dangerously in Magdalena's eyes as the derogatory remark stung her ears and aura of violence surrounded her body, coiling in seething anger as she prepared herself to lunge at the Type to strike at the vulnerable point in his abdomen where a vial of Sustenance would be pulsing...daring her to silence him forever. Even if her daughter was Jose's lover,_ no one_ had the right to call her "whore"!

"Magda--!"

Cybersix's warning was cut short as Data 7 intervened, slipping his adamantine body between the enraged woman and her intended target. He swiveled his head at her and held her back with bared teeth, his way of telling her that he wouldn't hesitate to use them if she took another step. As much as the Type deserved it, Data 7 wouldn't let any unnecessary blood be spilled. Magdalena had already killed this night.

The panther waited as she lowered her arm, receding like a tumultuous thunderhead, lighting still flickering golden sparks in her eyes.

The Type didn't bother hiding his delight at the predictable reaction. He chuckled again, red eyes dancing merrily before turning back to Cybersix, all traces of pretense gone.

"I don't see why I'm telling you this. In fact, seeing as you...all of you, are right here, I should just kill you and make things even easier. Jose would be sure to reward me for that."

His right arm shot up and came back down, slamming painfully into Cybersix's arm that she was using to hold him. Not expecting it, she cried out and instinctively backed away, letting him drop to his feet. Data 7, having been too busy making sure Magdalena wouldn't snap into a rampage, whipped his head around with an annoyed snarl. Magda herself tensed, waiting to see what her opponent would do before acting, glad now that she had an excuse to tear him to pieces. The Type hadn't the enhancements that the Technos and Cybers did, possessing only the normal strength and speed of a human. He was outnumbered as well, but he didn't appear to be worried. Even so, simply being what he was, he wouldn't be quite as easy to take down as a human would. He knew their tricks and tactics well enough. And it was quite possible that he was armed.

As if on cue, the Type reached behind him and drew out a .50 calibre Model 500S. A small handgun, it was easily concealed, and he had used it to his advantage. Neither Cybersix, Magda, or Data 7 had spied it on him. His earlier taunting had probably, at least in part, served as a distraction from his weapon.

He aimed it at Cybersix, despite Magda and Data 7's closer proximity, knowing her to be the greater threat. Cybersix crouched, eyes locked on the Type, ready to dodge as soon as he fired.

Magdalena's gaze flickered between the two, noting that neither of them seemed to want to make the first move and she saw an opportunity to move in on the Type and disarm him. She'd have to be swift.

She reached down to surreptitiously touch Data 7 on the shoulder to communicate her intent. The panther rumbled in understanding and stalked silently out of her way to begin circling behind the Type, who's attention was still completely focused on Cybersix.

Magdalena channeled her strength, all the old training she'd buried in the past flooding back into her awareness in an instant. She leaped forward, foot arching out in a spinning kick at the gun. Her mark, however, due to lack of practice, did not fall true, striking the Type's wrist instead of the firearm. It was enough, though, to send the gun flying from his grip a good three feet. He whirled on her, unphased, curling his now free hand into a fist and hurling it at her stomach. She dodged to the left, barely escaping the blow and he tottered off balance. He stumbled a bit and made to turn on her again when Cybersix's arm locked itself around his throat. The Type gagged as his air supply was cut off. His face turned red and he gnashed his teeth as the pressure grew, but he drew up his right elbow and smashed backward. Cybersix gave a startled grunt and withdrew her arm. The Type pivoted, readying another blow, but she leaped out of reach in a flash of black, opening up the way for Data 7 to come charging at him, a blur of fangs and solid muscle. There was no running away, and the Type was soon flat on his back bracing himself for the cat's maw to close around his jugular.

It didn't come. Data 7 had him firmly planted with his forepaws, but still he lived. He twisted his head to see where Cybersix and Magdalena were, but his vision was blocked by the panther's massive body. He wondered if either of them would finish him off instead.

Out of view, Magdalena stood beside Cybersix clenching the gun, which was probably not a good thing for her to be doing. Cybersix's eyes flickered between her and the Type.

"We should let Data 7 finish him,"growled Magda, face flushed crimson with anger not yet quenched

"No."

She turned to glare at Cybersix, clearly appalled at the idea of having to be merciful to someone who had said such unforgivable things about her child. Her grip on the gun's handle tightened.

"What do you mean 'no'?"she demanded.

Cybersix returned her glare.

"You've already had enough revenge,"she said, gesturing to what remained of the first Type, whose body had long since dissolved. "There's no more need to kill."

"What are you talking about?"Magda shot back. "Didn't you hear him insult my daughter? That's reason enough! I thought we were going to fight!"

Cybersix's expression hardened and quick as lightning, her hand shot out and snatched away the gun before the other woman could do anything with it. She wasn't liking what was happening to her friend. Her emotions were getting too carried away.

"We _are _going to fight,"she replied. "But going around recklessly killing everyone that comes up against us isn't going to solve anything. I told you things like this were going to happen, didn't I? Data, let him go!"

The panther grunted, moving somewhat reluctantly. The Type scrabbled away from underneath him and pushed himself to his feet, trembling with rage.

"When I tell Jose, you're asses are dead!"he screamed. "You're going to regret this!"

Spinning, he disappeared down the alley and around a corner.

"Well, I hope you're happy,"muttered Magdalena, staring flatly at the direction the Type had gone. "I can't believe you let him go."

Cybersix gave an exasperated sigh. She let her full strength exert itself on the gun and she felt the metal become as pliable as a stress ball in her hand. Roughly, she threw the now useless weapon aside and narrowed her eyes at the older woman. She honestly sympathized with Magda and could only guess at how deep her pain went, but she was in no mood to have it taken out on her.

"What would you have me do?"she snapped. "I can't kill all of them, Magda!"

Magda gave up a sigh of her own to join Cybersix's silent chorus of pent up emotions. Underneath her crossed arms, her fingers flexed, just aching for Jose's neck to be underneath them. She clenched her eyes shut and for a long, tense few moments, she didn't reply. Cybersix and Data 7 waited her out, though not with indefinant patience. Finally, she relaxed her stance, letting her arms fall listlessly to her side. Her face took on a washed out expression that couldn't clearly be read, but a small spark of the earlier firestorm still glinted behind her eyes. She thought about groping for the right words to say, but couldn't find them, because they didn't exist for her. She could only finish with the easiest way, which was no relief to her at all.

"I'm sorry."

Cybersix's face softened.

"It's all right. But look--wha--_hey!_"

Her apology was cut off as Magda suddenly bolted down the alley after the Type without sparing a look back. It dawned on Cybersix that the apology was not for what she had done, but what she was about to do.

"Hey! What are you doing?" yelled Cybersix as she she recovered from the shock and took off behind her with Data 7. "Magda!"

She cursed herself for ever allowing her friend to get involved even when it had been obvious that she wasn't in the healthiest of mental states. She glared into the darkness ahead, biting back a particularly nasty expletive. She had to catch Magda before she ruined everything.

---------------------

Jacinta sat at her dresser, comb running in rhythmic strokes through her hair, dressing gown wrapped comfortably around her. Her mind wasn't particularly fixed on any one thing, floating between her first back-seat experiment and the promise that next few days and beyond would bring; Marriage. Power. Freedom. Things she'd never imagined that she would ever possess, down at the economic and social bottom rung. What had once looked like a dismal future of scrounging around at society's leftovers now seemed bright with her own happiness. Now she would be on top, the wife, the mistress, the one to tell rather than be told.

She was content to let herself indulge in those pleasures for the moment, but one rebellious thought poked through her dreamy gauze of self-satisfaction; the inevitable meeting tomorrow with her mother. With Jose. In the same room. Trying one last time to get her to come around and accept Jacinta's decision. One last time. After that, if, as she knew in her heart, Magdalena would still refuse, then there was no helping it.

Her stomach clenched as though it had just been stabbed, guilt threatening to drag down her light mood. A wince flashed across her face and darkened it before being firmly quelled by two hands brushing her neck to rest on her shoulders. She felt herself smile and she put the comb down.

"It was quite fun, wasn't it?"Jose asked, alluding to the car ride back home. "We should experiment like that more often."

Jacinta closed her eyes for a moment and she chuckled, tilting her head back a bit to rest it lightly against his chest. Staring at their reflections in her mirror, she sighed as the guilt came back even stronger, tasting bitter on her tongue. Her smile, rare thing it was, vanished behind the clouds of frustration and resignation marring her lovely features.

Sensing the cause of her worries, Jose said, "Don't worry, love. Soon it will all be over and there won't be anyone or anything in the world to make you upset. I won't let it happen. I have something for you that should make you feel better."

"What is it?"she asked, sitting up straighter and letting her curiosity banish her dark mood.

"Be patient."

She swiveled around on her stool as he moved away from her, surprised at seeing that a Type had been standing there the whole time. A polished silver case was in his hands and Jose motioned for him to open it and present it to her.

He moved forward, one hand carefully flipping the latch and slowly opening the lid. Something underneath it sparkled, and, as it was pulled away, the most stunning diamond necklace Jacinta had ever seen glittered into view; although perhaps choker was a better description, for it looked like it was meant to be worn around the throat and drape down across the collar. The stones twined around each other in abstract vine patterns.

She found herself struck dumb at such an exquisite thing. No gift like this had ever been given to her and she felt too nervous to even touch it, let alone wear it. Her jewelry had always been cheap silver and fake stones, but this! It was almost too excessive, a thing for a governor's wife, or an heiress. Not her. The thought of how much it might cost staggered her too much to even want to guess.

"It..it's..."she stammered, the radiance of the diamonds nearly blinding her, "Is this really for me?"

"Of course," he said, obviously pleased at seeing her so overwhelmed at his surprise. "Why shouldn't it be for you? This is only a small part of what I can give you."

He undid the clasp of the necklace and bade for her to turn around again. She did, still too shocked to find any words to express her astonishment. He brushed her hair aside and slid the cold gems over her skin. Jacinta's throat tightened as it was fastened, both frightened and elated at her reflection. The girl in the mirror was both her and not her; a Jacinta she never knew existed was wearing those diamonds and looking like a princess, cold and haughty.

"It's beautiful,"she whispered, lightly fingering a stone near the hollow of her throat. "I don't know if I can wear this."

"Yes, you can,"said Jose, casting an admiring gaze at her reflection. "Like I said, this is only a small thing. You're my queen now, Jacinta, and as such, there is nothing that couldn't be yours." He spread his fingers over her shoulders as he spoke, the action subtle, but a very meaningful declaration of power and obsession. "A beautiful woman deserves beautiful things. Wear it for me."

Jacinta felt herself nod and a smile, albeit an incredulous one, returned.

"You do too much for me,"she said, reaching up behind her to stroke his cheek.

Jose was about to reply when suddenly the bedroom door burst open, promptly and irrevocably ruining their dreamy mood. A frantic Helmut rushed in, bowing apologetically as his master whirled on him in anger.

"I'm very sorry for intruding, Master Jose,"he said somewhat breathlessly, cutting off the barrage before Jose could beat him to it. "But something urgent has happened that requires your attention."

"What could be so urgent that you had to interrupt me?"he snarled, managing to

Helmut drew in a breath, steeling himself against what he knew would come. He nervously twined and untwined his fingers in front of his white cardigan, in contrast to his master's clenched fists. Jacinta watched, her expression inscrutable, but likely already had an idea of what had happened.

"Types 505 and 290 were attacked just after your meeting earlier. 290 was deactivated. 505 delivered his report a few minutes ago."

Helmut squeezed his eyes shut in wait for the impromptu screaming, the multitude of invectives hurled at his ears bringing his intelligence into question as well as his usefulness. When a few silent moments had passed without anything happening, he risked opening one eye to see what had delayed the bomb.

It hadn't gone off yet, but the fuse had definitely been lit. The fingers of Jose's left hand were clawing the fabric of the back of the stool Jacinta sat on so tightly that he was leaving nail marks in the brocade. Tremors of rage shook his small frame and the dangerous expression on his face told Helmut that if he so much as even opened his mouth to say anything else, he'd be the first one to suffer for it. Wisely, the little blond boy made no move to speak but mentally anchored himself to ride out the storm and submissively stood to one side. Jacinta, with a flash of diamonds, turned her head to look up at Jose with concern and mounting anxiety, but also knew better than to lay a finger upon something that might bite back.

"It was Cybersix wasn't it?"Jose hissed. "And that _woman!_ Your mother! I knew it! I knew this would happen! Didn't I say? Forget the meeting with her, the agreement is off!"

Jacinta moved then, quickly reaching out a desperate hand to grasp his arm, face taut with panic. If her mother had really been stupid enough to provoke him, then Jose wouldn't waste any time to let her realize what a mistake that would be. He would hunt her like Cybersix until one or all of them were dead. She couldn't let that happen.

"No, don't!"she pleaded. "Please, don't do anything to her!"

Jose whisked his head around to pin his narrowed eyes on her, barely biting back the sharp retort on his tongue. He noted with some surprise that she had asked for mercy only for her mother, not for Cybersix. While he gleaned a bit of pleasure from that, Magdalena still had to be dealt with and shown that such actions wouldn't be tolerated and that his patience with her, despite being Jacinta's mother, was not indefinite. If it hadn't been for her daughter's constant interference on her behalf, Jose knew he would have killed the troublesome bitch a long time ago...and might yet still. Surely Jacinta wasn't naive enough to not realize such.

_"_Not do anything to her? After this?"he scoffed. "Haven't I been merciful with her long enough?"

"Jose–! Please, you said you wouldn't hurt her! Do whatever you want to Cybersix. Just don't hurt my mother." Jacinta's grip tightened almost painfully and he could see the warning in her eyes even underneath her fear. Even though he had never explicitly promised any such thing, he couldn't say so now. Again, she held him back from taking his well deserved revenge. For the moment he resented her for it, but he knew that he loved her too much to risk losing her over this.

Still...she did say he could do whatever he wanted with Cybersix. If he killed her, Magda would have no one to look to and no one to help her rebel. That little morsel raised interesting possibilities. The more he thought about it, the more he let his anger boil down, but didn't let go of it entirely.

Sighing, he rolled his eyes and ground his teeth in impotent frustration, wordlessly acquiescing to her. For the moment.

"Fine,"he growled. "But I'm going after Cybersix. She was stupid enough to try me."

Jacinta softened her hold to a light touch.

"I don't care,"she said. "All I want is to be your wife and for this mess to stop."

Despite himself, Jose smirked.

"I can promise you at least one of those things,"he said. He shot a sidelong glance at Helmut.

"Sir?"asked the boy, standing to attention.

"What do you mean 'sir'? Get out!"

"But...what about the Types, sir?"

Jose scowled and leaned coolly against the stool's back.

"Take care of it. And see to it the men brush up on their offensive training. We have a Cyber to catch again."


End file.
